Young and Successful

Egypt is brimming over with bright, dynamic young people making their mark in every field. Believing that behind every successful kid there must be a very special mother, Cairo West Magazine asks what role their moms played in helping them get where they are today.

“My mom has always been my idol and main source of inspiration. Growing up with such a great influence made me realize that women are not weak or vulnerable, contrary to how most of our society thinks! She taught me how to be strong, how to stand up for my beliefs and how to never let go of my dreams, no matter what.

She taught me the importance of not relying on anyone but myself in most of the things that I do. She was and still is my biggest supporter; I like to consult her before each and every project. My mom is my Wonder Woman and I hope to always make her proud because she truly deserves it.”

Tara Emad

Actress and Model

“My mother never doubted that I would succeed in fulfilling my dream. There were times when she believed in me more than I did in myself. She taught me that discipline in work is 50% of the job and the rest is a combination of persistence, determination and faith. I owe every single bit of success to her.”

Nour Bassiouni

Artist

“My mother was my inspiration, she always believed in the artist in me and helped me pursue my dream of becoming one. She always pushed me to exceed my limits and till now she is the only person I get back to for advice regarding my work.”

Mounaz Abdel Raouf

&

Aya Abdel Raouf

Co-Founders and Creative Directors, Okhtein

“Our mother believed in us no matter who or what we decided to become. She has raised us to be true to ourselves, to give back, and most importantly, to never forget the miracles God can send our way. As we never studied fashion design, she made sure not to discourage us by saying, ‘Girls, remember that it doesn’t matter what you studied or where. What matters is how talented you are and how badly you want it. If there’s passion, there’s a way. If there’s love, there’s magic.’ Until this day, she is our strongest and most important idol. She grounds us and she believes in us when some people don’t.”

Anthony Hamama

Entrepreneur and Restaurateur

Bogali Restaurant & Bar

“My mother’s cheerful and hospitable nature and enthusiasm for life have had a major impact on my career path today. Her perception, attention to detail and constructive criticism makes her invaluable and a major driving force in my life. Above all, she has always motivated, guided and supported me in making my own decisions.”

Gamal Sadek

Co-Founder & CEO

Bey2ollak.com

“My mother has always been my sanity and insanity advisor! She’s always pushing me to get out of my comfort zone​.​ Maybe one of the most important things I learned from her is to always let go of pictures and the tendency to visualize everything!

As human beings we tend to visualize our goals to achieve them but most of the time our achievement is never what we ‘pictured’ which leads to constant dissatisfaction and​ disappointment. She always told me that if we cut this cycle early on and stop ‘picturing’ things all together from the beginning, we’d get a lot faster to the sense of satisfaction and achievement.”

Youssef Farag

Co-Founder of Qubix

Cargotecture Design Studio

“My mother has played a huge role in who I am today and whoever I will become in the future.

For as long as I can remember she has been teaching me what hard work is, how to respect those around you, and that there is a very fine line between right and wrong. These are all lessons I use by default in my daily life in business as well as personally, they are the foundations of my actions and my decisions. I owe an insurmountable debt to my mother, and knowing that she’s proud of me assures me that I’m on the right track.”

Karim Rafla

Co-Founder of Qubix

Cargotecture Design Studio

“My mother has always supported me in everything I do, pushed me whenever I had doubts, and whenever I was getting off the right track she would guide me back, rather than force me.”

Tamer El Erian

Izakaya and Mezcal

Entrepreneur and Restaurateur

“What I credit my mother most for is teaching me independence. From a young age, she would show my siblings and I how to manage for ourselves. A strong urge I still have at work, to not let others stand in our way. She also gave me a passion for adventure and discovery. We travelled the world together and although I moaned about the endless museums and cathedrals, it did teach me to seek out wonders and achievement.”

Taymour El Erian

Izakaya and Mezcal

Entrepreneur and Restaurateur

“I can remember my mom dragging me all over the place when I was a 12-year-old kid, from new countries to every single cultural or historical site. Not because she couldn’t find babysitting, but because she wanted me to learn something new and ‘broaden my horizons’.

She would then tell me ‘Taymour, we can’t let school get in the way of your education’. People have to understand that going to school can get some knowledge and degree, but nothing beats actually doing it. That difference and exposure made me who I am today.”